Washington, D.C. — February 21, 2019 — On Tuesday, February 12, Senator Lindsey Graham sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim asking him to work with the Senate Judiciary Committee to establish an alternative licensing framework to replace the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees before undertaking any efforts to attempt to terminate these decrees. Today, the MIC Coalition released the following statement:

“On behalf of the millions of bars, restaurants, hotels, retail establishments and other music licensees we represent, including thousands of South Carolina-based establishments, the MIC Coalition would like to thank Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for his leadership on this issue. Throughout their history, the consent decrees governing ASCAP and BMI have been instrumental in protecting licensees from anticompetitive behavior and helping promote a functional music marketplace. Terminating the decrees would severely disrupt that marketplace and harm music creators, licensees and consumers. No action should be taken to modify or terminate either consent decree unless and until Congress is able to enact a suitable legislative alternative. MIC is fully committed to working with Chairman Graham, other Members of Congress and industry stakeholders to accomplish this goal.”